There's no denying that Bills fans have been through plenty of disappointment over the years.
Few could blame Buffalo fans for believing a pall has been cast over their franchise dating back to four consecutive Super Bowl losses in the 1990s, and a 17-year playoff drought to start the 21st century certainly didn't help matters.
Even as the Bills have risen to rank among the NFL's most successful franchises over the last five years, playoff disappointment has defined the team. Buffalo has a chance to rewrite the narrative with a divisional round win over the Chiefs, which could give Josh Allen and Co. their best chance at a championship yet.
Cheering on the team isn't all some Bills fans are doing to spark a Super Bowl run. Could a bizarre ritual actually be the key to the team's late-season resurgence?
Here's what you need to know about Bills Mafia's 'feed the pit' theory and how fans are proposing a weekly sacrifice as long as Buffalo's playoff run is alive.
MORE: Inside Josh Allen's Peppa Pig commercial
Bills 'feed the pit' meaning
A theory circulating on TikTok alleges that a Bills fan has fallen into a construction pit at the site of the franchise's new stadium before each of Buffalo's last five games, all of which were wins.
The idea itself is simple: if a fan sacrifices themselves by falling into the pit before a game, the Bills will win. Buffalo hasn't lost since Nov. 26 and hasn't lost at home since Nov. 13, turning what was a slim chance to even reach the playoffs into serious contention for a title.
I just saw a TikTok and apparently the Bills are building a new stadium and so far it’s just a big pit in the ground. 5 games ago, a fan fell into the pit and then they won. Since then a fan sacrifices themselves to the pit before every game and they win 😭
— 𝕂𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕟⸆⸉ 🐍 (@perfectlyfine89) January 15, 2024
I’m dead serious
So, is there any truth to this theory at all? Like most theories, the answer is yes and no.
A man was arrested for jumping into a construction pit at the site of the Bills' new stadium in September just before a game against the Raiders though it doesn't appear the offense had anything to do with motivating the team — the man was found to be under the influence of multiple drugs, appeared to scale the fence on his own and engaged in lewd acts once inside.
The timeline also doesn't match up with the Bills' late-season success, as the team still struggled throughout the middle portion of the season well after the September pit jump.
MORE: Fans dig out seats, celebrate snow game vs. Steelers with table jumps, snowballs & more
Unless fans became excellent at evading security cameras and police, there would likely be some arrest records for jumps into the pit during the Bills' recent win streak.
Popular Buffalo lawyer William Mattar weighed in on the theory, encouraging fans not to jump into the pit and risk arrest. The man who jumped in September was charged with criminal trespassing, so no one should expect to make it out of the pit without handcuffs.
Legal advice: DO NOT jump in the pit #BillsMafia
— William Mattar (@WilliamMattar) January 16, 2024
Eric County Sherriff John C. Garcia reminded fans not to jump into any pit ahead of Sunday, saying, "Let’s keep the focus on the field and out of the parking lots." Nevertheless, a man wearing a security vest appeared to find his way into the pit ahead of Sunday's divisional round game, refusing to heed warnings from officials for the sake of a Bills win.
I THINK IT HAPPENED. #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/wINcs8k9C7
— Andrew (@BuffaloWoody) January 21, 2024
If there were ever a fan base that sacrificed itself into a construction pit for the sake of the team, it would be Bills fans, right? That's what makes the theory remotely believable. Then again, the Bills are 6-0 since coach Sean McDermott apologized for using 9/11 terrorists as an example of teamwork in a years-old speech, so other theories might be in play as well.
When will the Bills' new stadium open?
The Bills' new stadium won't open until 2026, but it already has some lore thanks to the pit theory (whether true or not).
The stadium will maintain the Highmark Stadium name once it opens. Construction crews only broke ground in June, which speaks to why the site has largely just been a pit for much of the season.
New Highmark Stadium will be across the street from the current stadium, and it's expected to hold 62,000 fans. Its estimated cost is $1.7 billion.
The stadium will be outdoors, giving the Bills their perceived weather advantage during the colder months, but there will be a canopy around the venue to at least somewhat shield fans from harsh conditions.
The Bills are hoping to be able to relocate a championship banner to the new stadium when they move in, and all it might take is three more fans feeding the pit.
